I TOLD you last week, my next world title defence might be in Belfast and now we know the opponent, Belfast's own Brian Magee.

Magee may not be one of the best known fighters in the world, but he is a good fighter, a former IBO world super-featherweight champion and winner of all but one of his 24 fights, 16 by KO.

And what is more, he wants the fight and he'll pack in the fans at the famous King's Hall, a legendary venue where such great Irish champions as Rinty Monaghan, Dave McCauley and Barry McGuigan have fought.

That last point is one worth noting because it was becoming difficult to find a suitable opponent and venue for a bout in March and I was desperately keen to fulfil a March date as I want to fit in three fights this year.

I would love to have fought back home in Cardiff again but apparently I was beaten to the March 18 date at the CIA by the Tweenies, some children's television characters. What can I say?

But the fight is subject to approval from the World Boxing Organisation and Universum's Peter Kohl, who promotes interim WBO champion Mario Veit.

That is because Magee, though ranked ten in the world on independent lists, is not in the WBO's top ten while Veit is my next mandatory challenger, but I don't envisage there will be a problem.

Why not fight Veit if he's the number one contender you may ask, but the fact is I don't think TV want the fight because I knocked him out in one round back in April 2001 and it would be a really hard fight for the promoters to sell.

I have absolutely no qualms about fighting Magee in his own backyard, even though people tell me the Kings Hall has an intimidating atmosphere.

Robin Reid was good enough to take the IBO title off Magee at the venue last June and had him down four times before clinching a unanimous decision.

And I defended my title against Reid at Newcastle in 1999 when the atmosphere was pretty hostile against me.

I also took the title against Chris Eubank in Sheffield and defended against Richie Woodhall there when the English fans were against me, so I have fought in intimidating atmospheres before and, if anything, they bring out the best in me.

The only person who will be intimidated on the night is Magee when he steps into the ring with me.

If anything, I'm looking forward to boxing in Ireland for the first time because, as I said last week, like the Welsh they are passionate about boxing and will make it a great night.

Perhaps the biggest thing for me is that he is a southpaw and I haven't fought many of those in my career, so I'll have to make sure I get in some good southpaw sparring partners.

But though Magee make take some heart from my last couple of performances when I admit I have not been at my best, I'm going over there to put on a great performance and if the real Joe Calzaghe turns up I'm confident I will knock him out.

It's up to me to make sure I am totally focused and get that angry fighter back in me and though it doesn't get any easier making the super-middleweight limit as you get older, that's what I'm paid for.

I'm 32 later this month and I can't see myself still being involved with boxing for more than another couple of years and I need to make money now.

I can't afford to let Magee ruin that and stop me making the big pay-days later in the year, hopefully with the big names in the light-heavyweight division.

Finally, it was great that Wales defeated England in last week's rugby international and that Craig Bellamy followed my suggestion and let his boots do the talking with both goals in Wales' football friendly win over Hungary.

The rugby international my not have been the most entertaining I've ever seen, but sometimes you have to be happy to win badly, as I know only too well.

Now it's Italy in Rome on Saturday and though the Italians excelled themselves before losing narrowly to Ireland, I believe Wales will defeat them very comfortably.

Italy have a strong pack, but if Wales perform as they can, their backs will have too much pace.

As for the football, it was great for John Toshack to start his reign as manager with a win and it was a pretty good performance from an injury-hit Wales team.